Tesla Launches Robotaxi Service So Unusable Even Elon Is Late

KEY POINTS

•Elon Musk said Tesla will approximately double Austin’s robotaxi fleet next month to reduce user wait times.
•Tesla currently operates about 29 robotaxis in Austin, tracked by community member Ethan McKenna.
•The service opened in Austin in June 2025, with human safety monitors in the passenger seat.
•By year’s end, Musk aims for 500 robotaxis in Austin and 1,000 in San Francisco, despite current complaints.

Elon Musk, the visionary multi-billionaire and Silicon Valley’s most persistent optimist, announced Tesla’s plan to double its Austin robotaxi fleet next month. Currently cruising around with a meager estimate of 29 autonomous cars (tracked by local detective Ethan McKenna), Musk promises to scale up to 500 by year’s end, while fans complain the service is 'essentially unusable' and languish in unending lineups. Tesla’s robots need human supervisors in Austin, and actual drivers in San Francisco, because fully self-driving car regulators like their triple-checks. Meanwhile, Musk dreams of 8–10 US cities dazzled by robotaxis before the calendar flips. Apparently, autonomous driving and smooth service waitlisted on high demand like a tech buffet gone wrong.